This invention relates to a sun visor assembly and paticularly to one equipped with multiple retractable glare screens.
Motor vehicles have been equipped with sun visors since the early days of motor transportation. Sun visors are typically connected to the windshield header of the vehicle by an articulated joint which permits the visor to be positioned to shade the vehicle occupant from the direct rays of the sun or other light sources. Sun visors not only increase the comfort and convenience of driving in bright sunlight and at night, but also are considered safety items since glare can interfere with the driver's vision of traffic and road hazards. Although visors generally perform adequately, in certain driving conditions, it is desirable to provide a tinted transparent shield which the driver can see through while reducing the intensity of bright glare. Such devices are particularly useful in night driving conditions when headlights of oncoming cars are directed at the driver. Several designs of modified sun visors are presently known having internally retained retractable glare screens. Other devices according to the prior art disclose glare screen assemblies which attach to existing sun visors which can be retracted and adjusted to suit the particular conditions.
Although sun visors with retractable glare screens are presently known, there is a need to provide such a device which is less complex in design and more economically produced than present designs. Further, it is desirable to provide such a visor which enables the auxiliary glare screens to be retracted and extended without binding. Since an auxiliary glare screen device is preferably transparent and would advantageously be made of a polymeric plastic material, it is desirable to insure that such glare screens will not become scratched or abraded as they are extended and retracted which could impair their transparency and degrade their appearance. The visor with auxiliary glare screens according to this invention provides the above-mentioned desirable features, thereby improving over such devices known to the prior art.
Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.